Some East Anglian Prototypes for Early Timber Houses in America

Abstract

This article discusses the plans and constructional details of selected houses in East Anglia which immediately predate the colonization of New England in the early 17th century, and compares them with early houses in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Seven characteristics of New England timber building are identified and origins suggested for them. The carpentry joints involved are closely examined. The steady emigration to America of newlytrained craftsmen and the constant interchange of ideas through colonial trade are two possible explanations for the parallel development of constructional techniques in the two areas under discussion.